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Australian Native Plants

looking for plants that tolerate lime and coastal expos

21 years ago

If any one has any suggestions on plants (small Shrubs/ground covers and bright flowers) to grow in a front line coastal area which is high in calcium/lime it would be greatly appreciated as I have just moved to a coastal area and have not a lot of knowledge of coastal plantings

Thankyou for your assistance

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Comments (8)

roysta
21 years ago
Where exactly are you on the NSW coast?

Roy
popi_gw
21 years ago
Wattles, Scaevola, Lomandra, pigface, Banksia integrifolia, this is what I have observed down at the beach in my area.

Popi
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Agree on Radio Times and Marie Pavie for heat & drought tolerant. Rain here leaches out calcium, and I always get wilting shoot on roses after heavy rain. I lime the ones that got wilted shoot, and they become perky in the heat at 90 F afterwards. The dolomitic lime dust (22% calcium and 12% magnesium) is fast-acting and works immediately when dissolved in water. Back in 2012 with very alkaline soil pH of 8 and high-calcium tap water at pH 9, my roses didn't wilt when it was over 100 F one summer with drought. Nitrogen fertilizer makes soil more acidic, and roses in pots always wilt after high-nitrogen fertilizer if it's above 90F. So I use alfalfa meal plus lime as my source of no-salt nitrogen for pots. My myrrh scents: Carding Mill, Mary Magdalene, St. Cecilia don't wilt in high heat above 90F. St. Cecilia lasts long in the vase with thick petals that can withstand hot sun better than Carding Mill and Mary Mag. Below is St. Cecilia (own-root) gets my vote as the best myrrh scent, always fragrant no matter how hot it gets. Like it so much that I want a second one. It's a compact & small bush and can take acidic rain plus full hot sun well:
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High Country Gardens, in Albuquerque, specializes in plants (including grasses) for xeric landscapes. Check them out. They also have a sale going on ornamental grasses right now. You can't go wrong if you use grasses native to the desert environment, although many of them are not very attractive: Alkali sacaton (Sporobolus airoides) Indian ricegrass (Achnatherum hymenoides) Needle and thread grass (Hesperostipa comata) Plains lovegrass (Eragrostis intermedia) Sand dropseed (Sporobolus cryptandrus) Sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula) Most of these can be grown from seed. www.curtisseed.com www.graniteseed.com www.pawneebuttesseed.com This information is from The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension. Call the Master Gardener line in the Cottonwood office at 646-9113 ext. 14 or E-mail them at cottonwoodmg@yahoo.com Here is a link that might be useful: High Country Gardens
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pos02
21 years ago
You could even try the local council to see what plants naturally grow in the area. They should have a list they can give to you. You'd be surprised as to how many are available.
catidu
Original Author
21 years ago
Roysta I am in the Ulladulla area your garden sounds great and I could learn a lot from your experience in the gardens
artiew
21 years ago
From memory, Ulladulla and the rest of the South Coast get a tad chilly in Winter : do you get any serious frost ? If not, most of the aforementioned coastal plants should work well. I could tell you what they have on the coast here, but comparing your warm temperate climate and high wind/ salt spray environment to the relatively becalmed subtropical climate of the Capricorn Coast doesnt seem terribly valid. Take a walk around your area and check other people's gardens : most people are happy to share their triumphs and disappointments.
Cam60
20 years ago
You could try "Zieria Prostrata". It is an endangered ground cover from northern NSW. Acording to limited literature on this plant it grows on rocky headlands can handle drout, frost & salt spray. It only grows to about 10cm x 1.5m across. I have 2 growing in my front garden here in Bris,& they are doing very well growing in full sun.
nature_lover_tvl
20 years ago
westringia fruiticosa, native rosemary. will grow in almost any coastal position, and is frost tolerant. Grows 2-3 metres and with a bit of an occasional prune will grow very busy, grows easily from cuttings.awesome plant. there is always the salt bush atriplex species, these can be tall/small shrubs and there are also groundcover versions.Good luck with it all.
nathanhurst
20 years ago
and as a result of westringia fruiticosa's toughness you can grow many prostantheras too.

Here is a link that might be useful: grafting prostantheras

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